Prayer and Meditation: Practices in Presence

Creating and offering worship is one of the things that draws me to ministry. I find it most fulfilling to create worship with others, and this past Sunday I was honored and privileged to share the pulpit with our fantastic new minister Nancy. Our service was about the spiritual practices of prayer and meditation, which although they start from very different places can bring us to a common center of wholeness and peace in community. Here, then, are a prayer and a meditation, as offered during that service. Enjoy.

Prayer as thanksgiving and lament, offered to something greater than ourselves (from Nancy)

Spirit of life and love that moves within, among, and beyond us…

There is one human paradox among the many
that leaves us baffled, crying out for air, for answers, for a reason.
The paradox is that we are both unimaginably strong and irreparably weak,
that this world is ours to change,
that we are powerful beyond measure,
that our dreams can take solid shape
and walk among men and women,
vision become reality…

And yet, for all our power, we remain so small,
so ceaselessly incapable
of knowing everything,
understanding everything,
changing everything,
so small that when the questions get too big
and the answers fade into mist,
even we powerful ones
must bow to the mystery,

Even we powerful ones
must bend as humble reeds
in winds we do not create
and cannot still,
riding the tender and fast paced breath
of we know not who
to we know not where
to places we have never imagined,
nor dreamed, nor dared to predict.

In the sweeping unpredictability of every moment,
may we come to know our own power
even as we acknowledge our own limitation.
May we claim both strength and awe,
May we stand and may we kneel.
Spirit of life, may we know you
in even fleeting glimpses for what you are,
the God within, the God among, and the God beyond.

Amen.


Meditation as the food of joy, where concious breathing opens the door to looking deeply (from Greg with thanks to Thich Nhat Hanh)

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out
Breathing in
Breathing out
My mind is a breathing mind
not a remembering mind
not a thinking mind
not a planning mind

Breathing in, my breath grows deeper
Breathing out, my breath goes slowly
Deep Slow
Deep like the Grand Canyon
slow like a grain of sand in the canyon wall

Breathing in, I feel joy to be alive
Breathing out, I smile
Joy to be alive
Smile
All I have to do in this moment is breathe
I find joy in breathing
and I smile

Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment
Breathing out, I know it is a wonderful moment
Present moment
Wonderful moment
Life only happens in the present moment
not in the past which is gone
or the future which has yet to come